Date
4-29-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
Rebecca Lunde
Keywords
developmental math, math self-efficacy, academic persistence, non-traditional students, community college, causal-comparative study
Disciplines
Higher Education
Recommended Citation
Fannin, Lakin, "A Causal-Comparative Study of Student Self-Efficacy and Academic Persistence Among Non-Traditional College Students With and Without Remedial Math Coursework" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8241.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8241
Abstract
This quantitative causal-comparative study examined whether differences existed in math self-efficacy and academic persistence between non-traditional community college students who completed developmental math coursework and those who did not within the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Data were collected from 81 non-traditional students using the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale and the College Persistence Questionnaire. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to compare outcomes between the two groups. Results indicated no statistically significant differences in math self-efficacy or academic persistence based on developmental math enrollment status. The null hypothesis was not rejected, suggesting that completion of developmental math coursework did not significantly affect these outcomes for non-traditional students. These findings contribute to the literature by challenging the assumption that developmental math coursework negatively affects adult learners’ confidence or persistence. Future research is recommended to examine additional contextual variables and to utilize longitudinal, qualitative, or mixed-methods designs to further explore non-traditional student experiences in developmental math pathways.
